Resnicow + Associates

Nelson-Atkins Hires Hathaway Maranda to Lead Development Division

Posted:

13 February 2018

Kansas City, MO

Kansas City, MO. Feb. 13, 2018–Following an extensive, nationwide search, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City has hired Hathaway Maranda as Vice President, Development, a position created to envelop the broad range of the museum’s next fundraising phase.

“From my first meeting with Hathaway, she articulated a powerful vision for a culture of philanthropy at the Nelson-Atkins,” said Julián Zugazagoitia, Menefee D. and Mary Louise Blackwell CEO & Director of the Nelson-Atkins. “In the few weeks she has been in Kansas City, I have watched her interact naturally and warmly with supporters in varied settings. Her hire signals the sweeping scope of the museum’s exciting future.”

Maranda comes to the Nelson-Atkins from Honolulu, where she was a pillar of the fundraising community since 2013. As CEO of her own consulting firm, she advised a number of arts organizations, including the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and the Honolulu Biennial Foundation. Prior to that, Maranda was the Honolulu Museum of Art’s first Deputy Director for Advancement.

“The Nelson-Atkins has enjoyed great success in recent years with huge attendance figures as well as amazing exhibitions such as Through the Eyes of Picasso,” said Shirley Bush Helzberg, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Fundraising is an integral part of continuing that success, and I believe Hathaway is uniquely qualified to lead that effort.”

During her time with the Honolulu Museum of Art, Maranda increased contributed revenue by 50 percent and increased membership by 40 percent. She also created new roles in the museum structure including social media and corporate partnerships, and upgraded and implemented a new customer relations management system.

“My career goals have been focused on working for one of the best museums in the country with extraordinary leadership and vision,” said Maranda. “The Nelson-Atkins, in my opinion, is one of the best museums in the world, in one of America’s greatest cities. It is truly an honor to join the museum’s leadership team and to serve this incredible community.”

Before moving to Hawaii, Maranda was the director of individual giving at the Sundance Institute, where she oversaw donor relations and grew individual giving more than 200 percent for that organization. Prior to that, she was the director of major gifts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In 2016, Maranda was a Getty Leadership Institute Fellow.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City is recognized nationally and internationally as one of America’s finest art museums. The museum, which strives to be the place where the power of art engages the spirit of community, opens its doors free of charge to people of all backgrounds. The museum is an institution that both challenges and comforts, that both inspires and soothes, and it is a destination for inspiration, reflection and connecting with others.

The Nelson-Atkins serves the community by providing access to its renowned collection of nearly 40,000 art objects and is best known for its Asian art, European and American paintings, photography, modern sculpture, and new American Indian and Egyptian galleries. Housing a major art research library and the Ford Learning Center, the Museum is a key educational resource for the region. In 2017, the Nelson-Atkins celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the Bloch Building, a critically acclaimed addition to the original 1933 Nelson-Atkins Building.